Panel for building construction



May 7, 1940. c. D. BowsER PANEL FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed April25, 1938 Hmmm/g Patented May 7, 1940 srATEsf PATENT-"OFFRE ApplicationApril 25, 1938, -Seral No. 203,998

5v claims.

The purpose f the present invention is to provide an improved panel unitfor building construction, wherein the same is composed of prefabricatedparts adapted for' factory assembly 'or for convenient assembly on thebuilding site.

The general object of the invention is to pro# duce a panel unit ofstrong light weight construction adapted for use in the formation of theSides and roof of a building, or as an interior` par- `tition, andwherein the construction `of each unit renders the same fully capable ofresisting the" elements; possesses high heat insulating proper-v withsimilar panels, the plane of the section be` ing indicated by the lineII-IIof Fig. 1;

` Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional viewtaken I through a slightlymodied form of panel; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional viewtaken through apanel on the plane indicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 1;c Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view on 3o' the planeindicated by the line V--V of Fig. 4. Referring more particularly to thedrawing, the numeral I designates the improved vwallforming panelcomprising the present invention in its entirety. The panel comprises asubstantially rectangular marginal frame 2 which', in its preferredform, is composed of structural steel angle members having miteredcorner joints 3,

which are welded or otherwise'secured together y tol produce a rigidframe construction.

405' In combination with this outer frame, each of the panels includesapair' of rectangular inner and outer sheets and 5 respectively. Whilethese sheets may be formed from any suitable materials possessingrequisite strength for wall-forming purposes, I preferably form suchsheets from pressed composition materials, such for in' stance asvegetable orrmineral bers. Thus the inner. sheet ll may be composed oipressed asbestos known commercially as Flexboa-rd, whereas the outersheet E is preferably composed ofpressed wood ber, sold commerciallyunder the name Masonite Each of these sheets may be formed inrectangular sections 4 ft. wide by 8' ft.fhigh, possessing a thicknessof approximately 1/4- yin., While. the angle` members comprising the.

(ci. iss- 34.)

framegv2 possess thema'rginal dimensions rof ther sheets 4,' and each ofthe flanges of said angle' members is approximately 2 in. wide and it!"f thickl :When assembled, the adjoining inner faces ofthe sheets ll and5` are 'spaced approxiy 5i? mately `l andag in. apart. While thesedimensions are 'not intany sense critical, nor are the materials forforming the panel, yet the specic description of the same'is given inorder to afford a more complete understanding of the preferred formofthe invention. i K f' The outer flange or leg 46 of each frame angle?-has its 'inner' surface provided with a plurality y of spacedhorizontally orperpendicularly extend'- ing. steel studs l, spa-cedapproximately .125 in. 15.8 apart. 'Ihe inner ends of the studs 'l arewelded, asat' to the inner surfaces ofthe legs or iianges` 6 of z theangle frame.' This construction is f em,- ployed in lieu of passingbolts through openings inthe legs orflanges '6,' thus preventing. thestuds zur; 1

i from beingfaccessible from the outside'of the' building in which thepanelsare situated, andf enables the outer surfaces ofthe-legs-orflanges6 t'o be smooth and unbroken ,andi are devoid-.ofv bolt heads`,'rivets,nuts or other fastening der 25g. vices hitherto employed insecuringthe-Sheetszteiy the angle members. The construction presents;

a more' attractive y'external appearance 'as .well 'as oneo-frequiredmechanioal strength;v

terns or* guides, have their marginal :portions drilled' or= bored at'spaced intervals l'to produce? openings- 9, which are soarranged;as.'tol;r'eceivez the studs 1, yso that the outer marginalfaces'off the sheets 5 will 'directly contact thejinner sur-rA 315ifacesof the frame legs 6, as'shown in Fig; 2-.4 kv

f The inner or free ends of the studs ll' arefp'roef' videdvwith!axially disposed threaded bores :lili o which are adapted to receivethe-threadedfshanks@ ofheaded cap screws l l. These cap`r screws passa4Q;

through marginally disposed openingszlzfwhich" are formed by'f'actoryvoperations inthe inner sheet 4. Surroundingv these studs 'l'. aremetallic sleeve-like` separatorsl t3 which aref-interposed.

between the inner complemental surfaces ofthe 453i `sheets @and 5k andserve to maintain'fsaid-sheets;

The outer sheets 5, by means of'suitable` pate the inner surfaces of thesheets 4 and 5, is filled with bats of mineral ber I6, producingexcellent thermal insulation in addition to that normally afforded bythe composition materials from which the sheets 4 and 5 are preferablyformed. The heads of the screws may be countersunk in the sheet 4, ifdesired, to provide for a smooth internal nish.

The construction set forth may be easily assembled either in theproducing 'factory or` on the site of the building operation, the formerprocedure being the ordinary course followed. The parts of the panel,however, are all preformed under factory supervision so that at the timeof assembly all that is required is the mere placing of the parts of thepanel in proper relative order, and the securing of the parts in suchorder by the tightening of the screws Il. ykAdjacent wall forming panelsmay be secured together by suitable fastening devices I'l which passtransversely through the inwardly extending flanges or legs I5 of theangular members comprising the fram-e 2. As illustrated in Fig. 2, theinner panels and the insulation are provided with recesses I8 in thevicinity of the fasteners l1. After adjacent panels have been rmlysecured together, the recesses I8 are closed by means of cap plates I9and attaching screws 20.

. To prevent buckling or bulging `on the part of the sheets 4 and 5 atthe center thereof, channelshaped spacing strips 2| are disposed atspaced distances throughout rthe length of the panel. These strips havethe flanges provided with registering openings adjacent their'ends topermit the strips to be positioned, as shown in Fig. 4, between thesheets with a stud 4'l extending through the openings at each end. Thisserves to: prevent the misalignment of the strips and their accuratelocation where they are most useful. The sheets are held in engagementwith the strips through the use of metal fastening scr'ews 22. j

The panels described are preferably employed in the formation ofbuilding side Walls, and the roof-forming panels are slightly modifiedin design, as disclosed in Fig. 3. `In this figure, it will be notedthat the rectangular frame 2a is channel-shaped in cross section, beingpreferably produced from sixteen gage galvanized steel.

ll The composition sheets 4a and 5a engagewith the outer surfaces of thespaced parallel legs of thechannel members `comprising the frame 2a, andare secured to said frame by means of headed screws Ila which passthrough registering `openings formed in said sheets and frame legs, withthe Shanks of said screws being received within threaded bores providedin separators l3a, the latter serving to strengthen the legs of thechannel members and to maintain said legs in4 properly spaced order. lAbody of mineral wool IBa. is preferably disposed between the sheets 4aand 5a for thermal insulation purposes.

These panel units may be readily joined to-y gether in order to producea strong, light Weight inexpensive building construction. It will beunderstood that the exposed surfaces of the composition panel sheets maybe suitably finished as by painting or otherwise to impart a desiredappearance. The construction is particularly adapted in the erection ofsubstantial but low cost buildings.

`What is claimed is:v Y 1. A wall-forming panel for buildingconstruction comprising an outer rectangular structural steel framecomposed of united angle members longitudinally spaced horizontallyextending studs welded to the inner surfaces of the outer flanges of theangle members forming said frame, transversely spaced wall sheetsoccupying said frame, said sheets being formed with marginally disposedopenings for registration with said studs, the openings in thefirst-applied sheet receiving said studs, and securing means engagingwith the free or inner ends only of said studs for removably clampingsaid sheets in secured relationship with said studs and angle members.

2. A wall-forming panel for building construction comprising an outerrectangular structural steel frame composed of united angle members,longitudinally spaced horizontally extending studs welded to the innersurfaces of the outer flanges of the angle members forming said frame,transversely spaced and vertically disposed inner and outer wall sheetsoccupying said frame, said outer sheet being provided with marginallydisposed openings for the reception of said studs so that the marginalportions of said outer sheet engage with the inner surfaces of the angesof studs welded to the inner surfaces of the outer.

flanges of the angle members forming said frame, transversely spaced andvertically disposed inner and outer wall sheets occupying said frame,said outer sheet being provided with marginally disposed openings forthe reception of said studs sol that the marginal portions of said outersheet engage with the inner surfaces of the flanges of said anglemembers from which the studs project,

said inner sheet being provided with correspond-4 ingly disposedopenings, threaded fastening means passing through the openings of saidinner sheet and receivable within threaded bores formed axially in thefree ends of said studs, said threaded means being accessible only fromthe interior of the building construction and serving to removably clampsaid sheets in secure relationship with said studs and angle members,and metallic separator sleeves surrounding said studs, the ends of saidsleeve engaging with the inner complemental surfaces of said sheets.

4. A wall-forming panel for building construction comprising an outerrectangular steel frame formed from a plurality of united angle members,longitudinally spaced studs secured to and extending at right anglesfrom the inner surfaces of the outer anges of said angle members, a wallsheet having marginal perforations for the reception of the studspositioned in engagement with the'surfaces of the angles to which thestuds are attached, U-shaped reenforcing strips having perforatedflanges disposed in engagement with the inner surface of said wallsheet, certain of said studs extending through the perforations in theU-shaped strip to insure the proper location thereof, a second wallsheet engaging said strips and the free ends of said studs, and threadedmeans extending through said sheet into said free ends of said studs,spacing means disposed between said wall sheets, the exposed surface ofsaid second wall sheet'being substantially ush with the free edges ofthe side anges of said angle members, said side flanges being formedwith spaced perforations, vthe peripheral portion of said second Wallsheet being recessed in registration with the perforations in saidsideflanges, and threaded securing means extending through said secondwall sheet into said studs to join 1u said sheets to said frame.

' CLARENCE D. BOWSER.

